Tuesday, May 13 2025 | Time 04:05 Hrs(IST)
States » EastPosted at: May 11 2025 9:04PM


Odisha: SJTA suspends Daita servitor Ramakrushna

Puri, May 11 (UNI) Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Arvind Padhee on Sunday suspended Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra, a Daita servitor of the temple, for thirty days over his controversial involvement with the Jagannath temple in Digha.
According to the official order, Ramakrushna is barred from performing any religious services or entering the temple during the suspension period. The suspension was imposed due to actions deemed damaging to the image of Sri Mandir, as stated by the SJTA Chief in a press release.
The order further stipulates that Ramakrushna must not attempt to intimidate members of his Nijog or others involved in the incident, nor interfere with the rituals of the temple. Any violation of these terms will result in an extended suspension and stricter disciplinary actions.
Security personnel and supervisors of the temple have been directed to closely monitor Ramakrushna’s behavior and report any violations to the administration. Should he act against the interests of Sri Mandir or disobey the chief administrator’s directives, any pending payments for past services may be withheld or forfeited.
Previously, the SJTA had issued two notices to Ramakrushna. The first, dated May 4, questioned his claim—publicly made in the media—that the idols (Bigrahas) for the Digha Jagannath temple were carved from surplus sacred Daru wood left over from the 2015 Nabakalebar ceremony of Lord Jagannath and his siblings. This statement reportedly shocked devotees and stirred emotional unrest, tarnishing the sanctity of Sri Mandir.
Ramakrushna was asked to respond within seven days.
The second notice, issued on May 9, asked why he, as a servitor of Sri Mandir, participated in the Pratistha (consecration) ceremony of a temple named Jagannath Dham–Digha. He was also directed to clarify whether he had raised any objection to the temple being named as such.
SJTA Chief Administrator Arvind Padhee said these disciplinary actions are part of an effort to restore order and reverence within the temple institution.
“It is our duty to shun pride and greed, and to uphold the glorious traditions of Srimandir. That is the highest form of service to Mahaprabhu Sri Jagannath,” he stated, warning that indiscipline will not be tolerated.
The controversy erupted following an interview given by Ramakrushna Dasmahapatra, secretary of the Daita Nijog, to a Bengali television channel. In the interview, he claimed to have brought the Bigrahas of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Mahalaxmi to Digha, using leftover sacred Daru wood from the 2015 Nabakalebar ritual.
He consecrated these idols at the Jagannath temple in Digha, West Bengal, on April 30, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. The temple was inaugurated the same day by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The interview quickly went viral on social media, sparking outrage within the servitor community and among devotees. Amid mounting backlash, Ramakrushna convened a press conference where he retracted his earlier statement, claiming that only ordinary Neem wood—not sacred Daru—was used.
Given the intensity of the backlash, the SJTA Chief Administrator convened a meeting with office bearers (presidents and secretaries) of the Chhatisha Nijog to discuss the alleged unauthorized use of sacred Daru wood.
The four Biswakarmas—traditional temple carpenters who sculpted the idols during the 2015 Nabakalebar—were also questioned regarding the disposal of leftover Daru wood.
In the sacred Nabakalebar ritual, the deities receive newly carved bodies from specially chosen Neem trees, and the Brahma (soul essence) is transferred from the old idols to the new ones in a secret midnight ceremony. This event occurs every 9, 12, or 19 years, depending on planetary alignments.
UNI XC DP GNK
Tags: #Odisha: SJTA suspends Daita servitor Ramakrushna
More News

BSF cop Vijay left engagement ceremony midway to join duty on border

13 May 2025 | 12:17 AM

Patna, May 12 (UNI) BSF cop Vijay Kumar was in the midst of his engagement ceremony at village Bangre in Aurangabad district, when he got a call to join duty immediately, in the wake of the India-Pakistan tensions. Without wasting time, Vijay donned his uniform and rushed back to join duty along the Rajasthan borders.

see more..

Rs 11 cr worth drug hidden in soap cases seized at Churachandpur, three arrested

13 May 2025 | 12:03 AM

Imphal, May 12 (UNI) Security forces apprehended three individuals from Churachandpur with drug worth about Rs 11.05 crore, concealed in soap cases.

see more..

Manipur: Govt announces Rs 10L ex-gratia for jawan who died in Pak firing

13 May 2025 | 12:03 AM

Imphal, May 12 (UNI) The Manipur government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of Constable (General Duty) Deepak Chingakham of the 7th Battalion, Border Security Force (BSF), who laid down his life following a drone attack launched from Pakistan at the Kharkhola Border Outpost (BOP) on May 10, under the Major Laishram Jyotin Singh Ashok Chakra (P) Scheme for martyrs and their families.

see more..

Ginger exports from Mizoram hit hard as Indo-Bangladesh border closure disrupts trade

12 May 2025 | 11:55 PM

Aizawl, May 12 (UNI) The ongoing closure of the Indo-Bangladesh border, prompted by escalating India-Pakistan tensions and political instability in Bangladesh, has severely disrupted ginger exports from Mizoram, according to Starfirm’s chief executive officer, Malsawmi.

see more..

BSF cop Vijay rushed back on duty leaving his marriage rituals

12 May 2025 | 11:53 PM

Patna, May 12 (UNI) BSF cop Vijay Kumar, leaving back the ongoing rituals related to his marriage at village Bangre in Aurangabad district, rushed back to join his duty along Rajasthan borders in view of the Indo-Pak tension.

see more..